The Cook of London, whyl the Reve spak, 4325
For Ioye, him thoughte, he clawed him on the bak,
‘Ha! ha!’ quod he, ‘for Cristes passioun,
This miller hadde a sharp conclusioun
Upon his argument of herbergage!
Wel seyde Salomon in his langage, 4330
“Ne bringe nat every man in-to thyn hous;”
For herberwing by nighte is perilous.
Wel oghte a man avysed for to be
Whom that he broghte in-to his privetee. (10)
I pray to god, so yeve me sorwe and care, 4335
If ever, sith I highte Hogge of Ware,
Herde I a miller bettre y-set a-werk.
He hadde a Iape of malice in the derk.
But god forbede that we stinten here;
And therfore, if ye vouche-sauf to here 4340
A tale of me, that am a povre man,
I wol yow telle as wel as ever I can
A litel Iape that fil in our citee.’
4325. E. whil that the. 4332. Hl. herburgage. 4336. Hn. sith; E.
sitthe; Hl. siþþe; Cp. Pt. Ln. sithen. 4339. Hn. Hl. stynten; E.
stynte. 4339, 4340. _Last two words glossed_ hic _and_ audire _in_ E.
Hn.
Our host answerde, and seide, ‘I graunte it thee; (20)
Now telle on, Roger, loke that it be good; 4345
For many a pastee hastow laten blood,
And many a Iakke of Dover hastow sold
That hath been twyes hoot and twyes cold.
Of many a pilgrim hastow Cristes curs,
[127: T. 4348-4362.]
For of thy persly yet they fare the wors, 4350
That they han eten with thy stubbel-goos;
For in thy shoppe is many a flye loos.
Now telle on, gentil Roger, by thy name.
But yet I pray thee, be nat wrooth for game, (30)
A man may seye ful sooth in game and pley.’ 4355
4347. E. Hn. Cm. Ln. Douere. E. Hn. soold. 4348. E. Hn. coold.
4350. Hl. persly; Hn. p_er_sle; E. p_er_cely. 4355. Hl. _omits_.
‘Thou seist ful sooth,’ quod Roger, ‘by my fey,
But “sooth pley, quaad pley,” as the Fleming seith;
And ther-fore, Herry Bailly, by thy feith,
Be thou nat wrooth, er we departen heer,
Though that my tale be of an hostileer. 4360
But nathelees I wol nat telle it yit,
But er we parte, y-wis, thou shalt be quit.’
And ther-with-al he lough and made chere,
And seyde his tale, as ye shul after here. (40)